While the demolition work was under way, the
layout committee was busy taking measurements of the available space,
transferring them to a CAD program, and set out designing a layout that
would best utilize the space available. The layout room measures 34 X
41ft which provided ample space for a moderate sized layout. The bench
work was standard L-girder and risers using Homasote on 3/4" plywood.
This gave us the most flexibility with elevations ranging from 36" to
58". 1 X 4 cross-members were used throughout except in the mountain
areas where 2 X 4's were utilized. We realized that the extra weight
created by mountain scenery would need additional support and we needed
to maintain stability in that area as we anticipated the use of a lot
of bridges. We eventually used 800 pounds of plaster in that area.

The North
Peninsula, along with the rest of the layout, utilized Homasote over
3/4" plywood on L-girder construction. This provided a very solid base
for the track. Later called Allenton, and fully developed, below are
some views of what the area looked like in 2009.

Coming
up with a plan to best utilize the space available was quite a task.
Six different designs were tried on a CAD program until the layout
committee had the right one. Once that was established, the refinements
to it were easy. We had to have 42" aisles to maintain proper traffic
flow and to give operators ample "elbow room".

Looking North
from Sacred Mountain very early in the construction stage, before track
was laid. Note the 2X4 cross members. This was done for added strength
to support the mountain scenery to come later. All the curves were
super elevated for a realistic look. Below it you will see the same
view as it looked in 2009.

After 15 years,
a double mainline HO and HOn3 layout on multiple levels with branch
lines leading to a double-ended staging yard and other areas with
complete scenery and details was a popular attraction. The layout was a
walk-in design with walls and scenery separating the various areas so
the visitor cannot see the whole layout at once. Actually, the
construction of the building with a bearing wall down the middle of the
layout room made this the only possible choice.

The CAD program created the blueprints for
construction. A major consideration was aisle space, and 42" aisles
were a must if we were to accommodate visitors. We didn't want our
guests to have a sterile view through a window, instead invite them to
wander throughout the layout. Members were always there to answer
questions. Lexan protected some of the more delicate lower areas. The
main lines had a maximum grade of 1% and a minimum radius of 50". We
did not want a spaghetti-bowl effect that we noticed on many club
layouts. Instead, the design created a series of distinct dioramas
separated by scenery or backdrops. Trains run through each scene only
once. Great care was taken during the early stages to provide a proper
base for trouble-free operation. This was necessary to allow the
smoothest mainline operation possible. Much of the mainlines were not
easily accessible as they wound through mountain terrain, behind
buildings, and under the main city.

This is the
South end of the Proviso Yard. This yard was 45 feet long and could
hold 750 cars. It was double ended, and required two operators. Most of
the switching was done on this end. The track on the left is actually
an isolated programming track.

The Proviso Yard was the focal point of activity
on the layout. With a capacity for 750 cars, this North-South
classification yard, designed for two operators, was the traffic hub.
Nearly every piece of freight passed through this yard at some point in
its journey. The operators here were the busiest on the layout. The
double-ended Argentine and Zion Staging Yards below the Proviso Yard
and Union Station had the capacity to store 12 40-car trains. With more
than 4200 feet of track (70 scale miles of Atlas code 100 &
Micro Engineering code 70) laid, the operational possibilities were
enormous.

Pouring
"concrete" at a new diesel engine service facility at the south end of
the Proviso Yard. Patching plaster was used here for several reasons.
It has a longer setup time allowing you to work with it and doesn't
crack when cured. I would like to see the real guys do it this fast.

154 Peco turnouts powered by Tortoise switch
machines were utilized throughout and had proven very reliable. The
dual gauge and narrow gauge turnouts were built in place and were hand
thrown. 18 walk-around cabs (5 mainline & 13 local) were custom
built based on a design that appeared in Model Railroader many years
ago, and proved to be very reliable.

We converted to DCC for greater flexibility in 2003 using the Digitrax
system. Because of the size of the layout, four boosters were needed.
We operated between 18-24 trains during operating sessions and open
houses, though not necessarily all at the same time.